3:Molly Starts to Worry About Ginny - November, 1992

The Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing the characters for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Having a lie-in Halloween morning was so delightful that Molly and Arthur did it again on the following day, which fortunately, was a Sunday. They'd stayed up late two nights in a row, between going out for Molly's birthday dinner and listening to Celestina Warbeck's Halloween Special, so they deserved it. They also had a bit of a lazy day since it was windy and cold. Molly and Arthur each wrote a short note to Ginny, encouraging her to get as much rest as she needed to recover. They also instructed her to go to Madame Pomfrey immediately if she needed more Pepper-up potion.

Much to their surprise, Molly and Arthur received a letter from Bill brought by a Gringott's owl.

Dear Mum and Dad,

Good news! Gringotts was very generous with my team because we broke the curses on a vast amount of treasure in the last tomb in record time. They have given each of us a pair of two-way Portkeys, and I'd be delighted if you would use them to visit me.

I have ten days off duty at Christmas and would love to show you some of Egypt. Would it be possible for Dad to get the whole week off? The five Weasleys at Hogwarts can celebrate together. The boys enjoyed staying last year. As I recall, Ginny wanted to go there instead of to Romania. Maybe the whole family can come to Egypt some time.

Please let me know if you are able to come for the Christmas Holidays. And if you come, please bring a pound of English breakfast tea and a couple of pounds of Moonsickles Wake-up Wizard coffee. Not that I am having trouble getting up or anything.

Sincerely, Bill

'Oh Arthur, I've always dreamed of going to Egypt and seeing the Pyramids. Bill sounds like he'd really like to show us around. I wish the whole family could go but the International Portkeys are so dear. This is a chance of a lifetime.' Molly was very excited and ordered the needles working on the Christmas jumpers to knit faster.

'I'm sure I can get the whole week off,' Arthur replied. 'My, we are getting to be world travelers, Romania one December and Egypt the next. We must make the proper arrangements for the children to stay at Hogwarts again.'

To no one's surprise, the next letter from Hogwarts was from Percy. Molly shook her head after reading his news-

Dear Mum and Dad,

We've had more than a bit of excitement over Halloween. Everyone is talking about what happened that night. The Feast, as usual, was magnificent, but as we were returning to our common rooms, some of us discovered Mr. Filch's cat hanging from a torch bracket. She looked quite dead, but Professor Dumbledore said she was only Petrified and could be revived by a potion made from Mandrakes. Mr. Filch was quite upset. Behind the cat this was daubed on the wall:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

I regret to inform you that your son Ron and his friends Hermione Granger and Harry Potter may somehow be implicated in this bit of mischief. They did not attend the Halloween Feast and were discovered standing beneath the sign with the cat hanging in front of it. Professor Snape attempted to have Harry removed from the Gryffindor Quidditch team as punishment but Professor Dumbledore reminded him that he was innocent until proven guilty.

My tenderhearted sister was very much shaken by Mr. Filtch's cat being Petrified. Ron tried to tell her that Mrs. Norris was not a very nice cat, but you know how much Ginny loves all cats. She looked like she was going to faint right there in the hall when she saw the cat hanging in front of the sign. Perhaps she needs another dose of Pepper-up Potion. I will personally see that she goes to Madame Pomfrey at the first possible opportunity.

I am working very hard on my schoolwork and on my duties as Prefect.

Sincerely, Percy

Arthur agreed with Molly that it sounded as if Ginny was not quite over whatever ailment seemed to be plaguing her since school started. He was sure that Percy would insure she was eating and getting medical attention. Molly wanted to believe him but wasn't ready to ignore he motherly instincts that something was not quite right with her little girl. So she baked some biscuits for all five of her children at Hogwarts.

On the weekend, a letter came from Ron that made her worry even more.

Dear Mum and Dad,

Thanks for the biscuits. I shared mine with Harry because he is really having a hard time. People are saying he is the Heir of Slytherin. But that is not the worst of it. He broke his arm at the Slytherin game. He caught the Snitch but then got hit by a rogue Bludger. Professor Lockhart insisted on healing him but instead managed to dissolve all the bones in his broken arm. Madame Pomfrey was sure angry with him (the professor, not Harry). And one of Ginny's classmates got Petrified when he tried to go and see Harry in the hospital wing. He's stiff as a board. And Ginny's going spare about it.

Don't worry about it if Percy tattles that he caught Harry and me in a girls' bathroom. It's out of order so no one uses it. We were just helping Hermione. She helps us with our homework and we help her with what she needs to do.

Have fun in Egypt.

Love, Ron

Arthur was as confused as she was from reading Ron's letter. 'It seems as though Harry has the worst possible luck. It is probably a good idea for Ron and Hermione to help him get through this year. He seems like such a nice lad.'

'Oh yes, Arthur, he's a lovely boy. James and Lily would be so proud of his manners,' said Molly as she set the table for dinner. 'I'm going to write to Ginny tomorrow. She must be so worried about him and her classmate.'

Molly wrote to Ginny the next morning.

Dear Ginny,

I hope you are feeling more like yourself. Being in a strange place with a different climate and with new people is bound to make you feel under the weather for a while. Madame Pomfrey knows what to do when new students catch things from each other. Mind what she says and wear your undershirt under your blouse. And don't walk on the cold stone floor unless you have your slippers on.

Ron wrote about Harry having a broken arm. Professor Lockhart must have made a mistake when he tried to fix it and dissolved his bones. I hope your friend will recover from being petrified. Do you know when they will be able to make the Mandrake potion?

We are very excited about going to see Bill in Egypt. I wish we could afford for all of you to go with us but am sure you will have fun over the holidays with your brothers and the rest of the students staying at Hogwarts.

I think I am getting better but I was pretty run down for a while. All I felt like doing was sleeping and then I had pretty bad nightmares. When I was a little girl, did I ever do things while I was asleep that I couldn't remember after I woke up?

Percy told Fred and George not to make each other have boils and fur to try and make me laugh at night in the common room because it was making me more upset and I had even worse dreams.

I am worried about my friend Colin Creevy.He 's the one that got Petrified last week.He 's nice even if he is obsessed with taking pictures of Harry Potter.

I will eat as much as I can and wear my undershirt and get a lot of sleep with my socks on.

I miss both of you.Give my love to Bill and lots of kisses.

Love,

Ginny

Molly sent Bill's birthday presents off to Egypt through the Ministry post. Bill had asked for some light fiction that he was unable to get at his local booksellers. He always had a taste for stories set in exotic places.

She continued to supervise the needles making the Weasley jumpers. She missed having Ginny to help cast off and do the finishing touches with her. And she began to make the traditional fudge to send to the children at Hogwarts. She and Arthur spent some time shopping in Diagon Alley since they both needed some lightweight robes and pith helmets to wear in Egypt. It wouldn't do to get sunstroke.

As she listened to Days of Destiny every weekday, Molly rejoiced with Fiona and her family when Lord Lyle's attempt at world domination fell pitifully short of his ambition. He managed to subjugate only one small principality where they didn't even speak English so he couldn't tell whether they were mocking him by bowing low as he passed by.

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